We're pretty excited for Nier Replicant (it's among our top upcoming action games after all), and Square Enix has dumped some fuel on that fire by releasing the polished up version of the game’s opening cinematic. The video showcases the visual and audio enhancements done to the original 2010 cult favorite, giving it a contemporary shine. 

The cinematic, titled "Attract Movie," provides a wild look at what’s to come for those who didn’t import or watch footage of this game when it was a Japanese exclusive. If Nier Automata is your only exposure to this series, you should feel right at home with Replicant’s post-apocalyptic zaniness, including copious giant robots and other strange enemies, mysterious hooded dancing figures, and Emil’s general existence. There’s also that sweet soundtrack. Check it out for yourself below.

Nier Replicant brings the alternate version of 2010’s Nier to a wider audience for the first time. The story centers on the protagonist embarking on a journey to cure a deadly disease plaguing his younger sister. While Cavia developed both of the original versions of Nier and PlatinumGames handled Nier: Automata, developer Toylogic is taking the reins this time around. For a look at more footage of Nier Replicant action, check out this gameplay walkthrough of one of its dungeons. 

In other Nier news, it’s the 4th anniversary of the release of Nier: Automata. According to Square Enix, the game has surpassed 5.5 million shipments and digital sales worldwide. If you’re interested in Replicant but haven’t taken the plunge on Automata, this opinion piece offers a strong argument for why you should give it a shot. Don’t stress though; Replicant pre-dates Automata, so you can play that game first with no worries. 

Nier Replicant ver. 1.22474487139 launches April 23 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC via Steam.

Hot Wheels Unleashed is a new racing game based on one of the most popular toys of all time. Instead of spending hours constructing elaborate tracks and accidentally stepping on that favorite car you misplaced, the new game lets players can skip the busywork and just get straight to racing 

Veteran racing developer Milestone Games (MotoGP, Ride series) describes Hot Wheels Unleashed as an “action-packed, arcade-style racing game." Players get behind the wheel of the die-cast miniature vehicles and race across the iconic, sky-high orange tracks alone in various single-player modes or against friends in multiplayer, both online and in local split-screen. The debut trailer shows off a high-octane, topsy-turvy race. When the camera pans out, it turns out that the big race is actually a small track set up inside of a life-sized garage of sorts. Whether or not the game retains that “little person in a big world” style is unclear, but I personally hope so. 

“We continue to focus on engaging consumers with our brands through gaming platforms,” said Andrew Chan, Head of Digital Gaming for Mattel. “Hot Wheels is all about encouraging the challenger spirit and Hot Wheels Unleashed brings that mission to life for gamers of all ages. Milestone’s expertise in racing game development has enabled us to transform the Hot Wheels brand into a compelling console and PC gaming experience for both current Hot Wheels fans and gamers who may be rediscovering the iconic brand.” 

We still have much to learn about Hot Wheels Unleashed, but it launches September 30 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC. You can pre-order now to get the Beefed Up Pack, which includes the HW Armored Truck and Baja Bone Shaker, pictured below. 

What do you make of this wacky new arcade racer? Let us know in the comments! And if this somehow isn’t enough to satisfy the Hot Wheels fan in you, might I direct you to some upcoming Forza Horizon 4 content that might help with that?